Can i study on a tourist visa?

[Dingostar]

Hi,

i'm new to this forum, which looks a terrific source of info for people like me who are planning to study in China, and sorry if my questions are a bit naff.

My plans are going to have to be fairly rushed as I've left it all a bit late and I just want to see whether they are feasible.

I would like to study at a school, probably in Chengdu, Beijing or Dalian for three months beginning in March. However, as it is already mid-Feb i'm not going to have time to apply for a student visa. or am I? My question is, is it absolutely necessary to have a student visa when arriving to be able to attend a course, or is it somehow possible to get around this.

Alternatively would it be possible to rent my own flat and seek private tuition whilst on a tourist visa?

Thanks,

dingostar

[BrandeX]

If you are only studying for 3 months, the tourist is probably fine, otherwise the school will assist you in getting an F visa for short term study.

[self-taught-mba]

A tourist visa can always be converted into a student visa.

If you look around you'll see plenty of posts about trying to find a private tutor yourself. It's hard to replicate what a good school will offer, but easy to replicate what a so-so school will offer.

A student visa is only good for the duration of your study where as a tourist visa can be automatically extended.

It is much harder to convert a student visa into a tourist visa then vice versa.

So if you want to study for part of the time and then travel the most appropriate thing is the tourist visa.

[Dingostar]

thanks for the info.

Okay, so if i just rock up in China on a tourist visa there should be no problems attending a language centre or college. this will allow me to get in country quicker, and more time to decide where to go.

From what i've read TLI in China sounds very good but too expensive, (1 to 1 tuition $13 per hour, I think). Do you think it would be possible to arrange a small group of say a few students for much less? And what is the best method for recapturing former fluency?

My situation is that i have been at an int-adv level up until a couple of years ago since when i stopped using it, and now i want to get it all back as fast as possible, hence the in country plan. I'm in two minds about whether to self-study with regular 1 to 1 tuition (but not at the TLI rate) or attend full time course ie three to four hours of classes per day at one of the unis or institutes. When classes are slow because of large numbers or varying levels of the students I feel self-study is more productive. But if i could be in a class where the level was a bit higher than mine, that would really spur me on.

reading this forum has been a blast actually, as i have come across a whole range of new fangled learning methods and materials such as online tools which i never knew existed and were unavailable back in the 80s when i first started learning. And it's great to learn that now, you can rent your own apartment in China!! when i was last there in '91 students were to stay strictly in the university guest house and forbidden to study with Chinese students in the mainstream university courses. Overnighting with your Chinese girlfriend was a major logistical challenge....how i wished for my own place!

thanks

[self-taught-mba]

So you really are talking about two things. Number one a tourist visa which I hope we have resulted situation for you. And number two the pricing component.

Private school prices are not out of line and it may be harder to replicate the quality than you think.

"So basically in a long-winded way I'm saying that it's really hard to replicate what a good school is doing for a similar price" in this thread here.